First start at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This mutual decision comes from LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka, known as a highly competitive player, thrives in top-level competitions — something that LIV offered less. He initially joined LIV in 2022 thinking his career would end due to injury, seeking a solid retirement fund. Hence, skipping the final contract year is not surprising, though questions remain whether he had to buy out his contract or return part of his guaranteed pay. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds about which fairways Koepka will soon appear on — DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension from his last LIV event but with previous lifetime bans softened? Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee, especially a star like Koepka, benefits the dominant PGA Tour? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership, which ended after 2022, to rejoin the player ranks.